1BCJ Ep3 Tears in the Rain
by Lantana75
Summary: Brisco accidentally kills a woman and the guilt drives him to self-destruct in a nameless and lawless town. Can his friends revive the Brisco County Jr they all know and love?
1. Alone

Brisco leaned against the bar and watched the activity. He missed his woman and his friend. Dixie was back home in San Francisco and Bowler was working on something in Arizona. Now in the Texas town of Harmony Ridge, Brisco was surrounded by people and he still felt so alone. He wished he had indeed waited for Bowler to get back from his errand to go after this bounty.

"Hey, County," a man barked as he came from behind. "You turned in my brother last year. He was hanged a week later. You and I got some business to deal with."

"I don't know who you are," Brisco said. "But what he did, he did."

"Outside," the man said. "I am calling you out, pal. Either here or outside. Makes no difference to me."

Across town, Luke and Helen Larkin set their items onto the counter at the general store. Luke once again did not have enough money for what he needed.

"I got a watch," Luke said. "Take this."

"Sorry, Luke," the owner said. "I have more watches than I could ever sell right now." He noticed the gold locket on Helen. "That locket might sell well."

Luke looked at Helen. "Give it to me, honey," he said.

Helen grabbed it. "I can't do that," she said. "This was my mother's locket."

"We have to eat," Luke said.

"I can't do it," Helen argued. "I won't do it. It's all I have left of her."

Realizing what he had caused, the owner stammered. "Maybe I could sell one more watch," he said. "I'll take the watch, Luke."

Luke glared at him. "I ain't looking for charity!," he snapped. He turned back to Helen. "Gimme the locket," Luke demanded. When she again refused, he slapped her and snatched the locket from her neck and handed it to the owner. Upset, Helen ran out of the store.

In the street, Brisco and the man were facing off. Behind Brisco, a friend of the man had a rifle ready to shoot Brisco if needed.

The man drew, but Brisco was faster. He dropped the man easily. He then heard the click as the rifle jammed. Brisco turned around to shoot the rifle man. As he pulled the trigger, Helen ran across the road. Brisco's bullet struck her.

"No!," Brisco yelled as she dropped. He then proceeded to shoot the rifle man several times.

Brisco didn't know what to do. He had never killed an innocent person before and he felt awful. A crowd of people gathered as Luke cradled his wife's body and cried.

"What are you looking at?," Luke screamed at the people. "Go on!"

The sheriff shooed the people away. He then took Brisco's arm and pulled him aside.

"She ran out of nowhere," Brisco said, his voice still shaking.

"I've been told what happened by the witnesses," the sheriff said. "Just go get your horse and go on home."

Brisco looked back at Luke.

"Go on, mister," the sheriff said. "Go home. I'll deal with this. I know it ain't your fault. Go."

Brisco walked to Comet, mounted, and left town.

1


	2. Not Responding

In San Francisco, Dixie was dancing at the saloon when Bowler walked in. He was pleased to be done with his errand, which he refused to talk about. Dixie, still onstage, winked at him; acknowledging that she knew he was there. Bowler winked back.

After Dixie was finished, she went to the changing room and changed back into her own clothes. She then found Bowler and gave him a friendly hug.

"So, I guess Brisco hasn't returned yet," Bowler said.

"Maybe tonight," Dixie replied. "How was your errand?"

"Got it," Bowler said. "That's all you need to know."

Dixie smiled. She knew not to try to argue with Bowler. He was stubborn and strong-willed. If he didn't want to tell you something, he would not.

Bowler and Dixie waited near the hotel that evening, hoping that Brisco would be there soon. As the sun was setting, the sound of horse hooves alerted Bowler and Dixie. They looked to see Brisco riding towards them with Comet at a walk. The expression on Brisco's face worried the two friends. As Brisco stopped Comet, Bowler grabbed the bridle.

"Brisco, are you OK?," Bowler asked.

Brisco did not reply.

"Brisco, what's wrong?," Dixie asked.

Brisco still refused to say anything. Bowler and Dixie looked at one another as Brisco walked into the hotel, not even acknowledging the presence of his friends.

"Go talk to him," Bowler told Dixie. "I'll take care of Comet."

Dixie went inside while Bowler led Comet towards the stables. In the stables, Jennyfer was just about to leave.

"Hi, Bowler," Jennyfer greeted.

"Hello, Jennyfer," Bowler replied. He then got an idea. "Hey, Jennyfer, may I ask you something?"

Jennyfer stopped walking and faced him. "Sure," she replied. "What do you need?"

"Where's Pete?," Bowler asked.

"He's in Sweetwater until tomorrow," Jennyfer replied. "Why?"

"Brisco just arrived from Hope Springs and he's not himself," Bowler said. "Would you go see what happened?"

"I would, but I just got Rain settled down," Jennyfer said.

"Here," Bowler said. "Ride Comet. Give him green apples and he'll love you forever."

Jennyfer picked up two green apples from a nearby barrel. Comet gobbled them down. He then allowed Jennyfer to mount up.

"We're trying to help Brisco now, Comet," Bowler told the chestnut stallion. "We need to know what happened." Comet appeared to nod, as if he was saying "Let's do it." Bowler nodded at Jennyfer. "Get there and back as quick as you can," he said. "I'll tell Pete as soon as he gets back if you're not back by then."

"Gotya," Jennyfer agreed. She rode Comet at a trot. Outside the city, she set the horse to a canter. "Come on, Comet," she said. "Let's see if we can help Brisco out here." Comet cooperated with Jennyfer, as if he knew what was happening.

At the hotel, Dixie was worried. Brisco was quiet, unemotional, and cold. He barely even acknowledged that anyone at all was with him in the room. Dixie could have been completely nude and he would never have noticed.

"Brisco, please talk to me," Dixie begged.

Brisco unbuckled the holster and tossed it aside, something else he never did. The gun was his father's gun and it meant the world to Brisco in sentimental value.

Dixie sat down on the side of the bed next to Brisco and hugged him. He still did not react to her.

The night was long and sleepless for all three friends. Dixie stayed with Brisco in the room while Bowler spent most of the night on a park bench nearby. He could see the light coming from Brisco's room and knew that he was still awake.

The next afternoon, Bowler needed to stretch his legs. As he walked, he looked up to see Dixie and Brisco walking from the hotel. Brisco was still not happy and he remained unemotional.

"All he said was that something happened and he won't tell me what," Dixie said.

"Brisco, let us help you," Bowler said.

"You can't help me now," Brisco said. "None of you can."

"And here comes Pete, looking for Jennyfer," Bowler said. "I need to talk to him." Bowler met Peter halfway down the sidewalk. "Hey, Pete, I promised Jennyfer that I would let you know," he said. "Jennyfer went to run a quick errand in Hope Springs. She should be back within the next hour."

"Are you sure?," Peter asked. "Rain is still in the stable."

"She's on another horse," Bowler replied. "She didn't have time to get hers ready. It was really last-minute."

"What's with Brisco?," Peter asked when he saw what was going on.

"That's what Jennyfer went to find out," Bowler said. "Brisco hasn't told us and we need to know. He's upset."

As Bowler and Peter met up with Brisco and Dixie, Brisco left the group and walked back inside. Dixie sighed. She glanced up and noticed something. "Isn't that Comet?," she asked. "Why is Jennyfer riding Comet?"

"My idea," Bowler replied. "Comet was already saddled and ready and we were all in a hurry."

Jennyfer pulled the reins, slowing Comet. Peter grabbed a rein as she dismounted the horse.

"I talked to the sheriff and a bartender," Jennyfer said.

"What happened?," Bowler asked.

"Brisco killed a woman," Jennyfer replied.

"He did what?," Bowler asked, shocked.

"It was an accident," Jennyfer replied. "Some guy said Brisco was the one who turned in his brother. He called him out. Brisco shot him. There was a guy with a rifle hiding behind Brisco. The rifle jammed. When Brisco turned around to shoot the man, the woman just ran across the street and into his line of fire."

Bowler and Dixie now understood. Brisco was never one to kill an innocent person. Even that this was an accident didn't seem to calm him at all.

"Thank you, Jennyfer," Dixie said. "I'll go talk to Brisco."

"I'll take care of Comet," Bowler said. "Go get some rest, Jennyfer. And thanks for the help."

"Anytime," Jennyfer said. She and Peter walked into the hotel and went into their own room.

In Brisco's room, Dixie sat with him. "Brisco, it was not your fault," she said. "It was an accident."

"Who told you what happened?," Brisco asked, somewhat distressed.

"Bowler sent Jennyfer to find out," Dixie explained. "She rode Comet there and back. Bowler's idea. We were in a hurry to know what happened and Comet was just ready."

"If I had just walked away, that woman would still be alive," Brisco said. "All I had to do was walk away."

"They might have followed and killed you later," Dixie said.

"But that woman would be alive," Brisco said.

"I couldn't live without you, Brisco," Dixie said. She hugged him and tried her best to console him.

As night fell, Dixie fell asleep on top of the bedcovers and still fully dressed. Brisco put his gun back on and threw a blanket over Dixie. He left the hotel room as quietly as he could.

3


	3. Blue Moon

Brisco rode Comet at a canter, staring right ahead and never looking away from where he was going. Brisco was not sure where he actually was going. He was simply riding until he ended up someplace. He paid no attention to anything he saw as he rode through the night.

Back in San Francisco, Dixie woke up late in the morning. "Brisco?," she asked when she saw that Brisco was gone. She sat up and put her feet on the floor. "Brisco?," she called louder. "Brisco, are you here?"

Dixie knocked on the bathroom door. When there was no answer, she opened the door and looked. "Brisco?"

Now beginning to panic, Dixie hurried down the hall and pounded on the door to the room Peter and Jennyfer were staying in. Peter jolted from his dreamless sleep and scowled.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Peter said as Jennyfer was also waking up. She pulled the covers over her shoulders as Peter got up and put on his pants. He grabbed his shirt and threw it on as he opened the door.

"What's going on, Dixie?," Peter asked as he saw who was there.

"Brisco wasn't there when I woke up," Dixie replied. "And it looks like you haven't seen him either."

"Dixie, you just woke me up," Peter said. "I haven't seen him since last night." He sighed. "Go wake up Bowler," he said. "He can track him and we'll go find him."

Dixie nodded and walked away as Peter shut the door. He started to button up his shirt.

"Search party, I guess," Jennyfer said.

Within an hour, Jennyfer had all the horses ready. The others came hurrying and each claimed his or her horse. They all mounted and the search began. Dixie, Bowler, Whip, Socrates, Peter, and Jennyfer all rode out at a trot as they followed Bowler.

In South Dakota, Brisco rode into a small town that he thought was a ghost town. As he rode through at a walk, he could see that it seemed to have been revived by outlaws. There seemed to be no laws at all. Every person he saw seemed to be doing whatever he or she wanted. People were fighting, stealing, vandalizing, and more. The town was a wreck with trash everywhere, dead animals scattered, broken glass all over the place, and spatters of blood on ground and walls.

Brisco stopped near what should be the sheriff's station. It was nothing more than just a building. The jail door was broken and on the ground. Surely, that wouldn't do much good.

"No laws here, buddy," a man said as he approached Brisco. "Except for one. We don't steal horses, but we do anything we damn well please anytime we damn well please. Like it or leave it."

"Like it," Brisco said. At least here, he wouldn't be killing an innocent person. Seemed like it was indeed his place. He dismounted and looked around. Leading Comet, Brisco looked through the town and saw that he was bothered by the ages of some of the people. A few kids were smoking and drinking. Some looked as young as eight or ten. They were obviously not going to school.

By late afternoon, Brisco was drunk and not himself. Dixie and the others would never believe it if they saw him now. Even Comet seemed to know that something was wrong.

As the sun went down, Brisco drunkenly stumbled and tripped over another man's foot. The man angrily punched him. Brisco and the man began to fight. Drunk, Brisco was next to defenseless.

Comet shook his head, reared, and galloped away.

"Comet!," Brisco called.

Comet continued to run, never slowing down.

As the full moon shone late that night, Brisco sat down on a large rock outside the town and stared at his gun. He could still see the images of the woman going down from his bullet. He desperately wished that he could take that bullet back.

2


	4. The Horse's Mouth

The sound of a galloping horse stirred Peter awake. The entire group was asleep and the sun was just peeking over the horizon. Peter got up and walked through the trees onto the side of the road. A chestnut horse with no rider was coming straight at him.

Peter managed to slow the horse and then grabbed the rein. "Comet," he said when he recognized the animal. "Calm down, Comet," he told the horse. "Calm down. Take it easy." Comet slowly calmed down and finally relaxed. Peter petted the horse and led him to where the other horses were at the campsite.

Peter began to wake everyone up. Dixie recognized Comet right away and it worried her to see him without Brisco.

"Maybe Comet can lead us to him," Dixie said. "He's loyal."

Once everyone was mounted on their horses, Dixie released Comet and watched him. Comet started to trot back towards the nameless town. The group followed him. Comet's ears were perked up and he seemed to know where he was going.

The sun pounded on the noisy town. Brisco was working through the worst hangover he had ever had. He had gotten slightly drunk in the past, but never like this. His head hurt and he could barely count his own fingers in front of his face.

"Finally found you, buddy," a familiar voice said from behind Brisco.

Brisco stood up and looked. It was Luke. He looked exhausted and beaten down. He was filthy, which led Brisco to realize that he had been traveling a long distance.

"You're the husband," Brisco said.

"I'm calling you out," Luke said. "Now."

"Let's go," Brisco said.

As the two men faced one another, the group followed Comet into the town. When they saw what was happening, they stopped. Jennyfer grabbed Comet's rein to keep him back. Comet did fight her a little, but then relaxed. The group dismounted their horses and waited, not knowing what they should do.

Luke drew and fired, catching Brisco in the shoulder. Brisco never even drew. He stood there, clutching the injury. "Do it!," Brisco demanded. "Finish it!"

"No," Dixie said. She made a move towards Brisco, but Bowler stopped her. Jennyfer was still clinging to Comet's rein.

Brisco drew his own gun and pointed it at the man, slowly stepping closer to him. "Do it!," he demanded. "Finish it now!"

Luke dropped his gun, dropped to his knees, and started to cry.

"I killed her," Luke said as Brisco was now standing right in front of him. Brisco lowered his gun.

"What are you talking about?," Brisco asked. "I pulled the trigger."

"If I hadn't hit her," Luke said. "If I hadn't done what I did, she never would have run out like that."

Brisco shook his head and put away his gun.

"You didn't kill her," Brisco said. "I did. And that man who called me out helped also." He paused. "I'm so sorry, mister," he said, genuinely meaning it. "I am so sorry. I would give anything to change it."

Luke stood up. He looked Brisco in the eye. "I need to go home now," he said. "I forgive you." He turned around and started to walk away.

Brisco looked past Luke and saw his friends there. He dropped the gun and started to walk towards them. As he hugged Dixie, Bowler retrieved Brisco's gun.

"Let's go home, Brisco," Dixie said. "Come on."

The townspeople watched as Brisco and his friends rode away.

2


	5. Home

"Well, I'm just glad to have you back home," Dixie smiled as she and the group were gathered in the Horseshoe Club for Brisco's birthday celebration. "We all know you, Brisco. And we all know that you would never knowingly and deliberately hurt an innocent person."

"Being forgiven really removed that weight from me," Brisco said. "I still feel sorry for that man, though. I know how he feels." He looked at Dixie and said, "I could never live without you."

As Brisco held Dixie to him, Whip and Socrates walked onto the stage with a large birthday cake.

"Happy birthday, Brisco!," everyone shouted. They applauded as he blew out the candles.

Dixie was thrilled to see that familiar Brisco County Jr. smile on his handsome face. Brisco County Jr. was back. The real Brisco County Jr. was definitely back!

Author's Notes:

1. Peter Hutter (John Pyper-Ferguson) carries a nickel-plated Colt .45 Single Action Army Revolver, famously known as Pete's Piece.

2. Brisco County, Jr. (Bruce Campbell) carries a Single Action Army revolver, a 7 1/2" Cavalry model with custom carved grips that once belonged to his father.

3. A Meteor 10-gauge sawed off side by side shotgun appears to be the main firearm carried by Lord Bowler (Julius Carry) in the series. He carries the sawed-off shotgun in a rifle sling on his back.

1


End file.
